


Quieter Than Words

by kinneyb



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-23
Updated: 2015-06-23
Packaged: 2018-04-05 20:07:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4193223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinneyb/pseuds/kinneyb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sequel to 'Louder Than Words'.</p><p>Morgan has gone five years without seeing Reid again after the BAU handled a case in Florida involving him as a potential suspect. Now Reid is back as a part of the BAU and Morgan might just find ways of pushing him away - the opposite of what he wants.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quieter Than Words

**Author's Note:**

> So many people liked Louder Than Words and I decided a sequel might be fun to do. Now I just want to say, you might think this fic is going one way based on chapter one but trust me I'm not opting for the easy way out. Reid is disabled and I don't want to change that because I think it'd be showcasing a bad message I don't support (that if you're disabled you need to change). But I also don't want to spoil too much so I can't say much more. Hope you enjoy!

Morgan knew something was different the second he entered the briefing room. Hotch was standing near the screen with Garcia but there were no photos pulled up. There were no files on the table indicating a new case. Nothing but a blank table and agents who appeared just as confused as him.

With a curious look in Emily's direction, she just shrugged, her brown hair swaying with the movement.

Sitting down, he leaned back in his chair and watched closely as Hotch began speaking. His behavior gave nothing away.

"I know for years now we've been accustomed to having a team of six but today that's going to be changing." He side-eyed Morgan. "The higher-ups think the new addition will help improve the BAU drastically."

Basically the team was getting a new member. Morgan quietly clicked his tongue as he started imagining what the new agent might be like. So far most of the new agents that had come and gone were female. Young, healthy, and pretty. Surely this one would be the same.

Hotch cleared his throat, gaining his attention once more. "The new agent has been classified as a genius."

Morgan lifted an eyebrow, glancing around the room at the others. Everything still looked just as out of it as him.

"But while his IQ might above average, we will have to find new innovative ways to work with his handicap."

Emily shifted in her chair, the heels of her shoes squeaking against the floor. "He's disabled?" She sounded confused, and for good reason. The FBI rarely accepted applicants with any kind of disability. They wanted agents with physical capability as well as mental capability.

"Well," Hotch peered at Morgan, "it's a different kind of disability."

Suddenly memories from five years ago came crashing down on Morgan. It was like a whirlwind the memories were going by so fast. Everyone jumped as Morgan abruptly stood up, throwing his chair back with the unexpected movement. "Hotch, you're not serious, are you?"

His head was spinning and he felt lightheaded.

In Morgan's mind, he could perfectly picture the young man he'd met five years ago while on a case in Florida. His milky white skin, his shaggy long brown hair, his sparkling hazel eyes, his blinding smile. He'd also been incredibly smart, which would fit the new agent being classified a genius.

But he also didn't want to get his hopes up. Morgan stared down Hotch, who nodded at Garcia.

If this was some kind of joke, Morgan would have Hotch's head on a stick after it was all over.

Garcia was grinning wildly as she opened the door and made small gentle gestures at someone outside. She hadn't met the boy directly while she'd been on the case but she'd seen photos and read files about him, though nothing could've prepared her for the cuteness that had walked through the door the day before.

Keeping the secret from Morgan had been hell.

Morgan nearly passed out as Spencer Reid entered the room, nervously grasping at the strap of his satchel and looking around at all the agents he hadn't seen for years now. He looked almost the same as before. His hair had grown out some, though, and he'd grew maybe one or two inches.

"Everyone, I'm sure you remember Spencer Reid - " Hotch paused, coughing. "Actually he's Dr. Spencer Reid at this point, but regardless I'm sure you remember him from the case we had about five years ago."

Emily gave a tiny wave. Like Morgan, she'd connected with the young man. "You're a doctor now? That's amazing."

Shyly, he waved back with a growing smile.

That's when he turned and his eyes connected with Morgan's. Immediately his smile grew wider, nearly taking up his entire face. Morgan knew he had to stay professional - he was on the job right now - no matter how much he wanted to go up and jump the kid with a hug.

He waved at him like Emily had, though a bit more enthusiastically. He'd always imagined meeting him again but a part of Morgan had had always been pessimistic. Joining the FBI wasn't easy after-all, and he knew a lot of people dropped out in the academy but Reid had made it and now he was standing here right in front of him. 

Reid nodded, returning the wave.

"As you all remember, Reid had a problem with communicating verbally," Hotch explained as Garcia led Reid over to the table, giving him the only vacant spot, which so happened to be between Morgan and Emily. "Recently he was properly tested and a doctor found the source of his problem."

Morgan almost knocked over his coffee he was so startled by the news. "Really? But I thought - "

"When he was younger, he mostly only visited therapists," Hotch continued. "This was one of his first times actually visiting a proper doctor about the possibility of his muteness stemming from a physical problem."

He placed his coffee upright on the table again, breathing out slowly as he eyed Reid. "And?"

Reid quickly noticed he was being watched and glanced at Morgan, though he didn't seem angry. He cracked an unsure smile, and Morgan - regardless of how he felt - couldn't help but smile back at him wholeheartedly. There was no doubt about it. He might've looked a bit different now but this was unarguably the same Reid he'd connected with years ago.

"He has deformed vocal cords," Garcia picked up now, reading directly from her tablet. "The deformation doesn't hold any actual risk but it does interfere with his speech. It would take extra work for him to even form words, and that's not addressing the pain that follows if he ever actually gets the words out."

That's when her eyes flashed with an emotion Morgan couldn't quite place. Garcia peered at Reid with an almost guilty smile before continuing, her last words whispered. "But it also means _technically_ \- if he puts in enough work and can get past the pain - he can speak."


End file.
